Once upon a time I believed that 'film' was the one, true and ultimate art form. To create a film you need to be able to successfully encompass a variety of other art forms including writing, photography, music, performance, costume, digital effects and so on. The quality of these separate components would determine whether your film would be good or not. Synergetic art.
There are people who disagree with my hardline view that: 'Film Is The Ultimate Art Form' but if you think about it, I might have a point; providing that you agree that the 'ultimate art form' is one that encompasses all other art forms. Some are still likely to disagree but I suppose everybody is entitled to have an opinion (no matter how uneducated they might be in the subject matter).
So, I won't bother to argue the point. You should all just accept that I am right and that you agree. Say it a few times to yourself, Film Is The Ultimate Art Form... you'll feel better for it, I promise.
Not convinced are you? I didn't think so, I didn't think such assertiveness would work.
If you think about it; the above statement highlighted in those delicious italics is practically a fact (whether you like films or not). All films require an array of artistic talent from a variety of mediums to collaborate together to produce the end product. No other discipline encompasses as many art forms. Surely it is therefore; the ultimate art form.
So with this in mind, allow me to burst my own little mind bubble with another outrageous statement:
Video Games Are The New Ultimate Art Form.
Some people will laugh at this ridiculous statement, others will be offended and a few might even agree but trust me, it's true. With the ever increasing sophistication of video games, the line between movie and video game is blurring ever more increasingly into one glorious experience of pleasure. However, please don't confuse 'games based on films', and 'films based on games' with what I'm actually trying to say as they're all shit. It is now apparent that games are using the same template that films use far more than ever before. Developers and programmers now have complex and detailed software to allow them to create what they've always wanted to create, to show you what they really wanted you to see and to be able to tell their stories properly without technical restrictions.
Technologically, games have moved along at a furious rate since the days of Sonic The Hedgehog and Super Mario Bros and have surpassed the notions and expectations of all non-gamers (and some gamers) as to what is possible with the technology we have today. Recent games such as Call Of Duty - Modern Warfare 2, Assassins Creed 2, Bayonetta and Halo ODST are relentlessly pushing the boundaries in search of a richer gaming experience by creating ever-more realistic graphics, better sound and music, more engaging stories and superior dynamic gameplay. Actors such as Martin Sheen, Stephen Fry, Patrick Stuart, Brian Cox, Liam Neeson, John Hurt and Samuel L 'Mother-Fucking' Jackson have all lent their voices to games as a testament to showing that modern video games are to be considered and respected.
I'm going to stop now before this becomes a full blown thesis and bores the cock off everybody, but to summarise the argument; making a video game now is like making a small hollywood film. It requires all the above doctrines to create a successful and engaging game; but with one major and important difference: interactivity. It is the inclusion and importance of interactivity which sets games aside from films, and it is this point specifically which makes video games even more so 'the greatest art form'. It requires more input, more thought and an understanding of what makes a game fun to play. Can you imagine how much effort goes into making games? Constant play testing researching and improving, making little tweaks over and over again to make it as good as it possibly can be. This cannot be replicated in film. Once you've shot your film that's it. There is no real room for improvement unless you start up production again which costs a fortune. With a game you can go back and refine endlessly if necessary, and you can do this all in one room. Film is practically restrictive in comparison. Make no mistake; games are the future.
As the years clock by and games developers refine their skills and the software and hardware they use becomes even more powerful, it is my prediction that 'games' will become the new 'films' and will finally get the universal respect they rightly deserve. Picture this: 50 people around the world simultaneously playing Resident Evil in front of a live audience as it's projected onto a 50 foot screen in a full scale auditorium. It will also be beamed to 500 million gamers from around the world who can watch the game unfold online, live, and for free.
Sounds good to me.
(screenshot from Mass Effect 2 on the Xbox 360)
No comments:
Post a Comment